Courtesy photo In the movie "A Separation," an Iranian mother, Simin (Leila Hatami) wants to emigrate out of Iran, to give her daughter Termeh (played by the director’s daughter, Sarina Farhadi), a better education, which leads to a rift in her marriage to Nader (Peyman Maadi) who refuses to leave behind his father (Ali-Asghar Shahbazi), who suffers from Alzheimer’s.

Here's what's happening today in pop culture:

• Iranian officials refused permission for a ceremony to honor the country's first Oscar winner, Asghar Farhadi and his movie "A Separation." [AP, via Huffington Post]

• A longtime movie critic reflects on everything that's changed in the world of film criticism. (And, if you read way far down, you'll see The Cricket quoted.) [Variety]

• Peter Bergman, one of the founding members of the pioneering '60s comedy group The Firesign Theater, has died at the age of 72. [The New York Times]